The restoration of the Cucapah artificial wetland is a story that deserves to be told. Rarely can you see an artificial complex that provides citizens with important environmental services and, at the same time, has an ecosystem that receives a large amount of wildlife. Such is the case of this site, with its 25 hectares of extension thanks to the presence of water that comes from the San Luis Rio Colorado Wastewater Treatment Plant, 5.5 km from this border city in Sonora.
With an annual volume of 10.2 million m³ of wastewater, this plant treats the water from San Luis Rio Colorado using biological and natural methods. Thanks to conservation work, the water discharged from the plant is used to create a 9.74-hectare lagoon habitat. The deposits and channels of the artificial wetland form an ecosystem similar to that of natural wetlands. It is estimated that the artificial wetland provides tertiary water treatment and contributes to the recharge of the aquifer. It also provides shelter and food for more than 64,000 animals of 111 species.
Our environmental work in the Cucapah wetland is mainly focused on reforestation. Among the activities last year, it is worth mentioning that in November 2022, the XXIX City Council of San Luis Rio Colorado started working on the expansion of green areas. This is a project promoted by our organization, Wärtsilä – Power Project Mexico, Aselec Electricity and the Municipal Water, Sewage and Sanitation Operating Agency (OOMAPAS).
This restoration project includes 6.2 hectares of artificial wetland on the land occupied by the WWTP, to mitigate the environmental impact caused by the construction of a power plant. The municipal government and the student community of San Luis Rio Colorado, through the Kino Institute and the State University of Sonora (UES), collaborated in this project. Students from both schools collaborated in the planting of emblematic plants of the Sonoran desert, such as the honey mesquite (Neltuma glandulosa). In addition, they were given a talk on the importance of wetlands for wildlife and enjoyed bird watching and other animals typical of the area.
In February 2023 we took another step in the reforestation of the Cucapah artificial wetland, with the participation of 65 volunteers, including students, teachers and parents from the San Luis community. During the reforestation work, 630 native trees have been planted to strengthen the wetland’s ecosystem.
The reforestation of the Cucapah artificial wetland, with more than 7,000 native plants planted to date, allows us to take advantage of the treated water and improve the quality of life of the local population. For this project we have the support of the Walton Family Foundation, and in the area of community involvement we have the support of the Gonzalo Rio Arronte Foundation.
Some of the plant species at the site are the Mexican Palo Verde (Parkinsonia aculeata), the Cottonwood (Populus fremontii) and the Southern Cattail (Typha domingensis). Among the fauna that visits the wetland, we can highlight the Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata), the Wilson’s Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor), the White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi), the Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) and the American Coot (Fulica americana).
We invite you to join our work and make a difference in environmental transformation.
